language note: Ever is an adverb which you use to add emphasis in negative sentences, commands, questions,and conditional structures.
1. adverb [ADVERB before verb, ADV adv]
Ever means at any time. It is used in questions and negative statements.
I'm not sure I'll ever trust people again.
Neither of us had ever skied.
Have you ever experienced failure?
I don't know if you ever read any of his books.
I forbid you ever to use that word!
You won't hear from Gaston ever again.
2. adverb [in questions, ADVERB before verb]
You use ever in expressions such as 'did you ever' and 'have you ever' to express surprise or shock at something you have just seen, heard, or experienced, especially when you expect people to agree with you.
[emphasis]
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Did you ever hear anyone sound so peculiar?
3. adverb
You use ever after comparatives and superlatives to emphasize the degree to which something is true or when you are comparing a present situation with the past or the future.
[emphasis]
She's got a great voice and is singing better than ever.
Japan is wealthier and more powerful than ever before.
He feels better than he has ever felt before.
'Sgt Pepper' remains among the best albums ever for many music fans.
This is the most awful evening I can ever remember.
4. adverb [ADV adj/n]
You use ever to indicate that a person is showing a particular quality that is typical of them.
[written]
He was ever careful to check his scripts.
Mother, ever the peacemaker, pointed her finger at my little brother and said, 'See?Now stop!'
5. adverb [ADVERB adjective/adverb]
You use ever to say that something happens more all the time.
They grew ever further apart.
I think the amount of work will increase and that it will become ever more complex.
Synonyms: constantly, continually, endlessly, perpetually More Synonyms of ever
6. adverb [ADVERB before verb]
You can use ever for emphasis after 'never'.
[informal, emphasis]
I can never, ever, forgive myself.
Felix has never, ever confided in me.
7. adverb
You use ever in questions beginning with words such as 'why', 'when', and 'who' when you want to emphasize your surprise or shock.
[emphasis]
Why ever didn't you tell me?
When ever am I going to see you again?
Who ever heard of a thing like that?
8. phrase
If something has been the case ever since a particular time, it has been the case all the time from then until now.
He's been there ever since you left!
Ever since we moved last year, I worry a lot about whether I can handle this newjob.
'Have you been chatting for long?'—'Ever since you left.'
Ever is also an adverb.
I simply gave in to him, and I've regretted it ever since.
Her first collection received rave reviews and, ever since, applause has never ceased.
9.
See ever so
10. See also forever
11.
See all sb ever does
12.
See as ever
13.
See yours ever / ever yours
14. hardly ever
More Synonyms of ever
ever-
(evəʳ-)
combining form
You use ever in adjectives such as ever-increasing and ever-present, to show that something exists or continues all the time.
...the ever-increasing traffic on our roads.
...an ever-changing world of medical information.
He is always eager for new experiences and ever-willing to experiment.
ever in British English
(ˈɛvə)
adverb
1.
at any time
have you ever seen it?
2.
by any chance; in any case
how did you ever find out?
3.
at all times; always
ever busy
4.
in any possible way or manner
come as fast as ever you can
5. informal, mainly British
(intensifier, in the phrases ever so, ever such, and ever such a)
ever so good
ever such bad luck
ever such a waste
6. ever and again
7. is he ever!
See also forever
Word origin
Old English ǣfre, of uncertain origin
ever in American English
(ˈɛvər)
adverb
1.
at all times; always
lived happily ever after
2.
at any time
have you ever seen an eclipse?
3.
at all; by any chance; in any way
how can I ever repay you?
Idioms:
ever and anon
ever so
for ever and ever
Word origin
ME < OE æfre, prob. < WGmc bases of OE a, always, ever (see aye1) + ? feorr, far
Examples of 'ever' in a sentence
ever
Charlotte wanted to know whether Marianne had ever found out about the `affair'.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
Cratyn's army was slow in gathering and many of his knights had been here far longer than they ever intended.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2002)
I think if ever he left the Police Service, he'd do very well in the stock market.
Jon Cleary YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)
In other languages
ever
British English: ever /ˈɛvə/ ADVERB
Ever means at any time.
Have you ever seen anything like it?
American English: ever
Arabic: أَبَداً
Brazilian Portuguese: sempre
Chinese: 曾经
Croatian: ikada
Czech: vůbec někdy
Danish: nogensinde
Dutch: ooit
European Spanish: alguna vez
Finnish: koskaan
French: jamais
German: jemals
Greek: ποτέ σε κάποια στιγμή
Italian: mai
Japanese: 今までに
Korean: 이제까지
Norwegian: noensinne
Polish: kiedykolwiek
European Portuguese: sempre
Romanian: vreodată
Russian: всегда
Latin American Spanish: alguna vez
Swedish: någonsin
Thai: ตลอด
Turkish: şimdiye kadarki
Ukrainian: коли-небудь
Vietnamese: bao giờ chưa
All related terms of 'ever'
as ever
You say as ever in order to indicate that something or someone's behaviour is not unusual because it is like that all the time or very often.
ever so
You use ever in the expressions ever such and ever so to emphasize that someone or something has a particular quality, especially when you are expressing enthusiasm or gratitude .
ever more
Ever more means for all the time in the future .
for ever
without end; everlastingly; eternally
first ever
Something that is the first ever one of its kind has never happened before.
never ever
Never ever is an emphatic way of saying 'never'.
is he ever!
he or she displays the quality concerned in abundance
ever and again
now and then; from time to time
ever and anon
now and then
for ever and ever
always
all sb ever does
You use the expression all someone ever does when you want to emphasize that they do the same thing all the time, and this annoys you.
whene'er
at every or any time that; when
where'er
at, in, or to every place or point which; where
yours ever / ever yours
You can write ' Yours ever ' or ' Ever yours ' at the end of a letter before you sign your name, as an affectionate way of ending the letter.
hardly ever hardly any hardly anyone
You use hardly in expressions such as hardly ever , hardly any , and hardly anyone to mean almost never , almost none , or almost no-one.
Chinese translation of 'ever'
ever
(ˈɛvəʳ)
adv
(= at any time) 从(從)来(來) (cónglái)
⇒ Neither of us has ever been to Japan.我们俩都从来没去过日本。 (Wǒmen liǎ dōu cónglái méi qùguo Rìběn.)
⇒ I forbid you ever to use that word!我不允许你在任何时候用那个字眼！ (Wǒ bù yǔnxǔ nǐ zài rènhé shíhou yòng nàgè zìyǎn!)
(= always) 总(總)是 (zǒngshì)
⇒ Ever hopeful, he continued to apply for jobs.他总是满怀希望 ，又继续申请工作了。 (Tā zǒngshì mǎnhuái xīwàng, yòu jìxù shēnqǐng gōngzuò le.)
have you ever seen it/been there etc?你曾经(經)见(見)过(過)它/去过(過)那儿(兒) 等吗(嗎)？ (nǐ céngjīng jiànguo tā/qùguo nàr děng ma?)
ever since (adv) 从(從) ... 以来(來) (cóng ... yǐlái)
⇒ We have been friends ever since.我们从那时以来一直是朋友。 (Wǒmen cóng nàshí yǐlái yīzhí shì péngyou.)
(conj) 自从(從) (zìcóng)
⇒ Jack has loved trains ever since he was a boy.杰克自小就喜爱火车。 (Jiékè zìxiǎo jiù xǐ'ài huǒchē.)